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The Relation Between Family Functioning, Ego Identity, and
Self-Esteem
in Young AdultsJennifer A. Schumacher, Marian UniversityABSTRACT:We
examined the potential influence of family characteristics on ego identity and
self-esteem among emerging adults. College students (N = 210, M = 19.52 years,
65% women) completed measures of self-esteem, ego-identity, and family
functioning (General Family Functioning, Communication, Roles, Affective
Responsiveness, Affective Involvement, and Behavior Control). In a multiple
regression analysis, self-esteem was predicted by ego identity, general family
functioning, and gender. Similarly, when ego-identity was the criterion variable,
it was predicted by self-esteem, general family functioning, and gender. We
further examined the nature of these relations using a path model. Healthy
family functioning predicted stronger ego identity which in turn was predictive
of higher self-esteem. In addition, being male was significantly related to
higher self-esteem whereas being female was related to higher ego identity.

ABSTRACT: In
contrast to studies comparing personal and social aspects of faith, this study
used measures of religious orientation (Allport & Ross, 1967),
self-construal (Singelis, 1994), organizational religiousness (National
Institute on Aging, 2003), and spiritual transcendence (Seidlitz et al., 2002)
to investigate the psychosocial mindsets related to an individual’s
religiousness and spirituality. We hypothesized that internal desires to
believe as well as the tendency to define the self in terms of internal
thoughts and actions would predict spiritual transcendence (spirituality).
Conversely, we hypothesized that external motivations and the tendency to gain
self-understanding from interpersonal relationships would predict
organizational religiousness (religion). Findings from 244 online survey
responses indicated that external influences largely motivated organizational
religiousness, yet there also had to exist an internal desire to believe. In
addition, measures of spirituality showed greater relation to external
motivations and interdependence than hypothesized.

Communication and Sexual Behaviors Within Adolescent CouplesMichael R. Langlais and Katherine L. Kivisto,
University of
Tennessee at Knoxville

ABSTRACT: We
investigated the relation between communication within adolescent couples and
their sexual and affectionate behaviors. Data came from 209 male-female couples
aged 14–21 who had dated a minimum of 4 weeks. Findings revealed that nonsexual
communication predicted less frequent intimate touching behaviors (over
clothes), less frequent oral sex, and less frequent sexual intercourse. Sexual
communication was associated with greater frequencies of affectionate and
sexual behaviors, including intercourse. Adolescents who tended to have later
age of first intercourse also communicated more openly in their relationships,
whereas communication about sex was unrelated to age of first intercourse.

ABSTRACT:We
examined the relation between sex and relationship education, communication,
and prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) among college-aged women. We
hypothesized that (a) women who received more comprehensive sex and
relationship education would report fewer IPV experiences, (b) women who
received their sex and relationship education from certain sources would report
fewer instances of IPV, and (c) women who communicated more with partners would
experience fewer instances of IPV. The study consisted of a survey completed by
48 women at a liberal arts college regarding their IPV history, sex and
relationship education, and communication with partners. The first hypothesis
was not supported; however, the results showed that women who did not receive
their education from a medical professional and women who communicated more
with their partner experienced fewer instances of IPV. These results suggest
the need for additional research into types of education as tools for
preventing IPV and the importance of communication within relationships.

Memory for Passwords: The Effects of Varying Number, Type, and
CompositionLindsey Payton, University of Akron

ABSTRACT:For
optimal security, computer scientists recommend using long (at least 8
character) passwords containing randomly ordered, lower case letters, numbers,
and capital letters. In the laboratory and more realistic longer term tests, I
tested the effects of some of these recommendations on participants’ memory. Not
surprisingly, longer passwords were less likely recalled than shorter ones, and
accuracy for remembering random passwords was much lower than for remembering
words. However, memory accuracy for letter strings constructed to be similar to
words, both in letter frequency and in letter-to-letter transition
probabilities, was not much lower than accuracy for words. Such pseudowords are
not as secure as random passwords, but they are not susceptible to dictionary
attack. The findings suggest that both memorability and security are important
to consider in constructing useful passwords.

Crime Type, Proximity of Crime Perpetrator, and Just World
Theory AttributionsMary Katherine Davison, Hood College

ABSTRACT: We
investigated the effects of crime type (rape, murder, theft) and perpetrator
proximity to the victim (stranger, date, family member) on crime severity
ratings and perpetrator and victim blame attributions through a 3 x 3 (Latin
Square) mixed design. There were 2 significant main effects and 2 significant
interaction effects. The 180 participants rated murder and rape as equally
serious crimes and more serious crimes than theft. Participants blamed
perpetrators—and therefore less—in rapes and murders than they did in thefts.
In addition, and unexpectedly, participants increasingly blamed victims when
the perpetrator proximity decreased (from family member, to date, to stranger).

The Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research educates, supports, and promotes professional development, and disseminates psychological science. Only original, empirical manuscripts that make a contribution to psychological knowledge are published. Authors are Psi Chi members at the undergraduate, graduate, and faculty level.